Family Activities Abu Dhabi: Best Weekend Events July

Abu Dhabi’s weekend forecast hits 44°C on Saturday, but that hasn’t stopped venues across the city from rolling out a dozen family-friendly events, including a free-after-7pm entry to Louvre Abu Dhabi and a new shaded camel-riding experience at Al Ain Oasis.

The timing matters. This week’s headlines have been heavy: China’s second typhoon in seven days, a deadly wildfire in southern Spain that killed 12, and Iran’s supreme leader calling for revenge after his father’s killing. For families in the capital, finding affordable, air-conditioned or shaded activities that keep kids engaged, and parents sane, is a small antidote to a world that feels increasingly unsettled.

Culture and Cool: Museums, Workshops and Free Entry Nights

Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island is extending its free-entry evenings this weekend. On Saturday, July 11, from 7pm to midnight, children under 18 get in free, and adults pay just Dh63. The current exhibition, “Cartier, Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design,” runs through September 27 and includes interactive stations where kids can try their hand at geometric pattern-making. The museum’s Children’s Museum, a 700-square-meter space dedicated to ages 3-12, is free with any ticket.

Across the lagoon, Manarat Al Saadiyat is hosting “Summer Clay Lab” on Sunday from 10am to noon. For Dh120 per child, ages 6-14 learn pinch-pot techniques and glaze painting. Parents can watch from the shaded courtyard café. Registration closes Saturday at 4pm; walk-ins are accepted only if spots remain.

Warehouse421 in Mina Zayed, the converted industrial space on Al Falah Street, opens its family-friendly “Art for All” afternoon on Saturday, 2pm-6pm. The highlight: a “Build Your Own Dhow” workshop using recycled materials, led by Emirati artist Fatima Alghaithi. Cost is Dh50 per child, and the warehouse’s loading-bay café serves mango lassi and samosas for Dh15 each. Free parking is available behind the Al Falah Street entrance.

Desert Adventures and Water Fun: Outdoor Options (with Shade)

Al Ain Oasis, a UNESCO World Heritage site about 90 minutes from Abu Dhabi city, has introduced a new 20-minute camel-riding circuit for families. The shaded track runs from 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm daily. Cost: Dh60 per person, including a falconry demonstration at the oasis’s falcon hospital. The site draws 1.2 million visitors annually, according to Abu Dhabi Culture, and the falcon hospital treats about 150 birds a year. Bookings are recommended via the Al Ain Oasis website; this weekend, slots are still available for Saturday evening.

For water lovers, Yas Waterworld on Yas Island is running its “Summer Splash” package through July 31: a family-of-four ticket (two adults, two children) costs Dh599, down from Dh1,020. The park’s indoor wave pool, “Al Raha River,” stays at a steady 28°C. On Sunday, the park opens at 10am and closes at 7pm; the lazy river and kids’ play area are open all day. The park says it caps daily attendance at 4,500; as of Friday evening, Sunday still had 1,200 spots available.

The Corniche beach’s public Family Zone, between Breakwater and Al Sahil, is free to enter and stays open until 8pm. The beach has a dedicated children’s play area with shaded swings and a splash pad that operates from 8am to 6pm. Lifeguards are on duty; the water temperature this week has been hovering around 32°C. For Dh25, you can rent a sun lounger and umbrella for the day from the Corniche’s concession stand.

For something quieter, the Abu Dhabi Astronomy Club is hosting a “Planet Gazing Night” on Saturday at 7:30pm at the Al Khubairat Park observatory on Al Khalidiyah Street. Telescopes are set up on the grass; entry is free. Club volunteers point out Jupiter and Saturn, visible this month after sunset. Bring your own blanket and snacks; the park’s café stays open until 9pm.

Next weekend, July 18-19, Qasr Al Hosn is launching its “Summer Heritage Sessions”, free workshops on pearl diving, palm weaving and traditional coffee-making for children ages 8 and up. Registration opens Monday at 9am on the Qasr Al Hosn app. Slots are limited to 30 per session; they tend to fill within two hours.

For now, the best advice: book ahead for anything indoors, carry water even if you’re only parking for 10 minutes, and take advantage of the free museum evenings. In a week of wildfires, typhoons and threats of revenge, a quiet afternoon with the kids at a shaded dhow workshop might be the best thing you do all weekend.